Hermione Granger and The Secret Fire

Chapter 2- An unexpected kindness

After the sorting ceremony, Hermione and Malfoy were told to meet Professor Snape at the portrait of the Mime Priestess at 8:00 pm. Hermione's mood could only be described as wary due to the impending doom she felt at being alone with not just Malfoy, but Professor Snape too. She wondered what she had done to anger the Gods so greatly.

As Hermione found the portrait, she noticed Malfoy and Snape talking in hushed tones. Oh how she wished for Harry's invisibility cloak so she could hear what they were saying! Hermione knew it was wrong to use the cloak, but having grown to distrust the two men in front of her so much, she couldn't see how it could hurt to have some extra information on the two of them.

"You can't really expect that can you, Severus? For Gods sake I spent the entire summer..." Draco spoke to the elder male just before Snape held up his hand placing his palm in front of Draco's face in an effort to stop him from speaking. Draco, upset that he was being so rudely interrupted, huffed and gave an exasperated look to Snape before it dawned on him why he was being blocked.

"There you are Miss Granger," Snape spat as he spoke her name. "How very nice of you to grace us with your presence this evening."

"I am hardly even late, Professor! I had to asist some first years that had gotten lost in the shuffle as the prefects lead them back to the dorms," Hermione said as she looked down at her watch. She looked up after seeing she was, indeed, twelve minutes late, and attempted to put on her best face as she looked at the Professor she respected, but did not like.

Snape continued with contention, "Perhaps next time we can arrange to have the Prefects actually do their job, rather than attempting, weakly, to feign responsibility."

Snape gave Hermione a sliding, contemptuous glance down his nose as he tuned to face the portrait to give the password.

"Electro-Moon," Snape said to the Mime Priestess and she opened the portrait to reveal a short hallway leading into a room like Hermione had never seen.

This common room was larger and airier than the Gryffindor common room. From Hermione's place standing in the doorway, she could see that on the opposite wall on the left was a huge fireplace with a warm inviting fire already heating the room. In front of it was a large, furry white rug covering most of the floor and a large sectional leather couch creating a homey corner living room. Behind the couch sat a huge desk and numerous tall bookcases, several of which were filled with volumes of books. On the opposite wall was another desk with more bookcases, long wooden tables with plush chairs surrounding them and Crookshanks, sleeping on a large metal box that looked, to Hermione's Muggle eyes, like a refrigerator. She knew this could not be what it seemed because there was no electricity at Hogwarts. Directly in front of where they were standing was another hallway leading to a stairwell that Hermione believed must lead to their private rooms and the lavatory.

"This is much smaller than my room at Malfoy Mansion. For Gods sake, the help have better looking rooms!" Malfoy whined as he looked around the common room.

As Hermione turned in shock to stare at the man who had just insulted the finest room Hermione had ever had the honor to call her own, Snape interjected

"That may be Mr. Malfoy but it is your room and I suggest you get comfortable in it."

Snape walked over to the metal box and swept Crookshanks off with the back of his hand. He landed with a yelp and an interjection of "Hey!" from Hermione.

"This is a food box. It will keep hot meals hot and cold meals cold. As you will be spending many an evening with your Head Boy and Girl duties, there will not always be time to eat in the Main Hall. If you request food from the house elves, they will place it in here. To get it to warm the food, speak the words 'Calefacto cibatus' and 'Frigidus cibatus' to keep it cold. There also is a sliding shelf if you need some items to stay cool and others to stay warm," explained Snape

"It IS like a refrigerator," Hermione said without thinking of the other two Muggle-hating people in the room. Realizing her mistake, she quickly became wide eyed and reddened, changing the subject to the hallway where the rooms were located.

"Your rooms are located at the top of the stairwell. Miss Granger's to the right, Mr. Malfoy's left. In between, only accessible though your rooms, is the lavatory. I trust you both know enough locking spells to keep the other out of the room as you use the lavatory?" Snape assumed with a smirk.

"Wh...What? A small common room AND I have to share a bathroom with her?" Malfoy sputtered, as a look of pure horror crossed his face at the concept of doing anything with Hermione.

Hermione gave him her best smile and added, "At least I will keep it clean. Men can't ever clean up after themselves." This got a look of irritation from both Malfoy and Snape.

"Professor Snape," Malfoy continued, "isn't there anyway we could find more appropriate living arrangements for me? I understand that this may be okay for her, but I am used to far finer..."

Hermione made a noise suspiciously like a 'Ha-rump', spun on her heal and headed up to her dormitory. Ensconced on her door was her name with the Head Girl title underneath. She opened her door to find a wonderfully large queen size, four-poster bed, decorated in Gryffindor colors. She also had a wardrobe, a nightstand and a sitting chair that faced a floor to ceiling window looking out onto the lake and surrounding mountains. It was a beautiful room and Hermione was caught up in the emotion of pride for having being chosen for such an honor and sadness at having no one to share her stunning new room with, as well as its view, when she heard Malfoy open the door between her room and the bathroom.

"Haven't warded it yet, huh?" he drawled in his typical manner, "Typical Gryffindor stupidity, I mean bravery. I had mine set up as I walked in the door. Hey, do you want me to take Head duties this week?"

Between his words and with her emotional feelings that had been bottled up all day, Hermione snapped. "Malfoy, I don't have the time or energy to fight with you. Take the duties this week if you want, but you'd better do them! I don't even want to bring myself down to your level and waste what precious hours I have left in this day continuing this bickering nonsense. I am sick and tired of your name calling, whining, grumbling, petty, pretty boy act and I am not going to stand back and take any more abuse. And for Gods sake, get out and stay out of my room!"

Hermione shoved him back into the lavatory, without a second look. She warded the door with an appropriate password and stormed out of her own room with a good slam to her door. As she stormed down the stairs heading anywhere but in her common room she heard Malfoy muttering, "Did she just call me whiney? And a pretty boy?"

Hermione found her way to the Fat Lady only to discover she had no idea what the current password could be. She decided to beg the fat lady for entrance, even though she knew it would not be very Head Girl-like, when a group of third years tumbled out looking guiltier than the Golden Trio ever had. She was going to stop them, but realized she had access to her old common room and couldn't let the opportunity pass.

"Hermione!" cheers from around the room greeted her as she entered. "Come here!" she heard from the group to her left that consisted of Ron, Harry, Ginny, Neville, Dean and Seamus.

As she settled herself back into her old group of friends, Hermione remembered what it was like to feel welcomed and loved. Her friends sat and laughed and talked about their excitement at beginning a new year. Slowly, as the night got later, the group got smaller as people left to go to bed. As was usual, the group dwindled until it was just Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"So who's the new Head Boy, Hermione?" Ron asked suddenly.

"Honestly, Ron. Do you pay attention at all when Professor Dumbledore speaks?" She responded.

With a look of guilt and his head down, Ron replied, "I was busy."

"Busy looking at your new love Kirian or stuffing your face?" Harry commented sniggering. "Malfoy got it, Ron."

"Malfoy? As in Draco Malfoy? What in blazes is Dumbledore thinking? A Death-Eating git like him is picked as the best student in our year?" Ron yelled as he jumped out of his seat and started pacing around the room, "Next you are going to tell me that his grades are better than yours, Dumbledore adopted him and that you are going to marry Snape! This has to be the worst news I have heard all year! How did this happen?"

"Good to know you are not being melodramatic here, Ron," said Harry with his eyebrows knitting into a frown. "But seriously Hermione, I almost swallowed my teeth when I heard Dumbledore announce it. I was thinking I heard wrong by the lack of response from everyone else, so I let it go."

"I think Professor Dumbledore put a calming spell on the entire room before he made the new term announcements. No one reacted to anything he said! I wonder if you are immune to those too, Harry," she added with a worried grin. Hermione replayed what had happened on the train for Ron and Harry. After answering at least fifty questions, about Mrs. Malfoy's death, she continued the story about the common room up until she got to the Fat Lady's portrait.

"Blasted hell!" Ron scowled as he thought about the repercussions of having Malfoy as Head Boy. "Harry, what kind of pranks can we pull to make that Ferret's life as difficult as possible?"

"Ronald Weasley! How can you possibly be thinking about pulling pranks with the amount of homework we'll have this year before N.E.W.T.'s? Plus, with You-know-Who still on the loose..." Hermione scolded, but Ron interrupted her.

"Okay, Mom. This is why you and I couldn't date and you have no friends!"

Hermione looked at Ron in shock as his words hit her, one by one. She barely had time to react before her face contorted with the pain she was feeling and she felt the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Ron!" Harry began, seeing the amount of suffering Hermione was going through. "You are a complete arse, you know that? How dare you say something like that?"

"What? I was just kidding." Ron answered sheepishly.

Hermione blanched at his words of defense.

"Kidding? Kidding? You think you can say something as mean and as hurtful as that and then get off by saying you are kidding?" Hermione bit her lip in a feeble attempt to keep the tears from falling.

But as Ron saw the look of anger on one friend's face and the look of pain on another, he snapped in anger of his own. "You know what? I am tired of this. Ever since you and I dated, things haven't been the same. I can't joke around with you, I can't relax when you are with us and I can't hang around with you without someone thinking I am trying to get back together with you. I am sick of this!"

"Just because your little Irish Hufflepuff girlfriend gets jealous, does not mean you can abuse the relationship we have left," Hermione spoke in a low, angry tone.

"Jealous? How could someone as beautiful, smart and sweet as Kirian be jealous of you?" Ron retorted.

"Ron...?" Harry asked carefully, knowing where his redheaded friend's temper could take this next.

But he never got a chance to finish the thought, as Hermione ran out the common room door.

Hermione ran full force back to her new common room. Her tears were streaking their way down her face and she was having one hell of a time breathing. As she reached the portrait of the Mime Priestess and sputtered the password, she froze as she remembered with whom she shared her suite. She prayed to the Gods that he would be fast asleep or out, but once again, the Gods were not smiling upon her.

"Nice entrance, Granger. You charged in here with all the grace of a heard of cattle. Were you born in a barn?" Malfoy alleged as he got up from the couch.

Hermione turned to look at him and noticed he looked quite comfortable sprawled out on the leather in his silk pajama's reading a book. She was about to spout an insult of her own, but she realized how hurt she was from Ron's comment and that she had no energy for another confrontation, "Just leave me alone."

"What's the matter, Granger? No angry reply for me?" Malfoy said as he walked over to stand in front of her to face to face.

Immediately Hermione saw his face soften and he said, "Hey, are you okay? You have been crying!"

Hermione's emotions were puzzled enough by her fight with Ron and his ensuing insults, but seeing Malfoy her even more. As she was sorting the mixed messages that were flowing through her mind, Malfoy said, "Do you want me to make you some tea?"

Hermione stared at him with a look of shock and horror. Malfoy had said two things that were easily described as nice, and was looking at her with worry. This was the same Malfoy that called her Mudblood a million times, made Harry's life hell and insulted Ron every chance he got about the Weasleys' lack of money. Hermione's emotions caught up with her as she thought, 'Malfoy obviously is going to try and poison me with tea! Oh my God, he's going to try to slowly kill me!'

"Granger? You are looking at me like I have grown another head. Of course that wouldn't be too bad, since the one I have is so handsome and intelligent. It wouldn't be so bad having two heads as gorgeous as mine," he finished with a smile and a pathetic effort at humor.

Hermione couldn't even respond. She looked at Malfoy, convinced at his intent of poisoning her and shook her head.

"But seriously, are you okay?" Malfoy asked with the expression of alarm returning to his face. "I can't have anyone hexing my suite-mate, now can I?"

"I just had a fight with Ron," Hermione said finding her voice again "or as you call him, the Weasel."

Malfoy smirked at the memory of the nickname.

As she wiped away the tears, Hermione began, "What do you care anyway? Disappointed that I wasn't crying over you? Disappointed that your vicious insults don't get a rise out of me like Ron's do? Why are you acting like this, any way?"

Hermione fully expected the famous Malfoy exterior to come back with its typical cold, menacing stare. What she got instead shocked her, for a second time in less than five minutes, to her core. Malfoy looked at her with sadness as he took her in his arms. She immediately stiffened from fear, apprehension and the uncomfortable feelings she was having.

"He really hurt you, huh? It'll be okay. I am sure he didn't mean to hurt you. What did he say?" Malfoy drawled into her neck as he stroked her hair.

Hermione broke away from him and just stared at the man who had tortured her for six years and was now looking at her with compassion. "I...I...need to be alone."

Hermione ran up the stairs to her room and prepared to take a bath. She made sure that the door leading to Malfoy's room was warded and she slipped into the bubble-filled tub with a sigh, trying not to think about anything.

For the first time that day, though, Hermione felt relaxed enough to process everything that had happened. She once again realized that she had no one to share her feelings with and this made her start to cry all over again. She couldn't get over how mean Ron had been and then how kind Malfoy had treated her. It was like they had switched bodies, or at least personalities! As she floated in the tub, she felt her cares wash away until she was left in a quiet peace.

On Monday evening, after a million attempts by Ron to apologize, a half million attempts by Harry to calm her down and at least a dozen looks of sympathy from the other Gryffindors who had obviously heard the story, Hermione went to visit Ginny. She was hoping to find someone to lean on and someone who could understand what a prat Ron was being. 'Who better than his own sister?' she thought.

But Ginny was no help, as she wanted to talk about boys, most specifically Malfoy. Ginny seemed obsessed with the idea of Hermione living in close quarters with a boy. Hermione even doubted Ginny cared that the boy, who wasn't really a boy anymore, was Malfoy. After telling her that she hadn't seen him naked the previous evening and that she did not want to 'accidentally' walk in on him in the bath, she tried to make her escape by reminding the 6th year that she had homework to do.

Hermione paused to think of how she hadn't even spoken a word all day to Malfoy. After the last experience they had, she wasn't anxious to be alone with him, or whoever had been impersonating him, again.

Hermione left the Gryffindor Common Room to go to the library. This, alone, was not so unusual. Hermione could often be found in the library on almost any evening. She found it provided her the calmness and serenity she needed to concentrate. Once again she was glad that Malfoy had taken Head duties this week. Now that she was in her 7th year, school seemed more difficult.

Hermione was busy with her classes, but she was also planning for the future. She wanted to go to the University next year, but she was not sure which University. Her parents had been encouraging her to attend a Muggle University since the summer before last, but she wasn't sure she wanted to go to a Muggle school. Since she had not been in a Muggle school since 5th grade, she doubted any University would let her in. Plus, she wasn't sure how Potions could prepare her for a Muggle class!

As Hermione walked through the hallways of Hogwarts, she thought about the changes the next year would bring. She was just beginning to contemplate whether to spend a weekend looking at the Goosecanker Institution of Invocation and Magery or the Rabbitpolyp Academy of Evocation and Summoning when Misten Finnigan ran around the corner and bumped Hermione's books to the ground.

"Oh, sorry Hermione. I am so scattered lately!" Misten explained while kneeling down to gather Hermione's strewn books. Hermione looked down at Seamus' cousin with a look of pity mixed with annoyance.

"It's okay, Misten. I was just heading to the library." Hermione said as she bent down to help the brunette who was trying to clean up her books.

"Oh, mind a little company," Misten asked? "I could use the time for extra studying."

"Not at all," Hermione responded with enthusiasm. "I am glad someone else takes advantage of their weekends for a bit of extra revision time." The two girls gathered their books and set off toward the library.

Misten and Hermione spent a lot of time together that week, both in the library and at meal times. Hermione found herself enjoying the other girls company more than she had thought possible.

On Friday night, as they made their way to the library, Hermione found herself wanting to make Misten feel as comfortable and as happy as she felt. Hermione thought that a good way to do that was to get Misten talking.

"How was your first week? Are you finding your classes okay? Sorry I haven't really asked you this in classes this week, but I have had my mind on a lot of other things. Do you need any extra help?" Hermione fired off questions faster than Misten could answer, so glad to find a kindred soul.

"Everything is going well. I really like Transfiguration and History of Muggles. I think Divination is a complete waste of time, though. That teacher is just plain goofy," Misten giggled.

Hermione chuckled, thinking of her third year fiasco with Professor Trelawney. "How are you doing in potions? I know Snape can be a bit difficult," Hermione asked sympathetically.

Misten turned to look at her with mystification. "Difficult? Professor Snape? I haven't found him difficult. He's a bit ornery, yes, but that just makes him more interesting. I bet he's lived an exciting life."

"Are you kidding me?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"No," Misten answered slowly, with genuine confusion. "Why?"

"Calling Professor Snape a bit ornery is like calling an elephant a bit overweight." Now it was Hermione's turn to giggle. "He's controlling, demanding, and overzealous in his approach and he revels in it!"

"Really?" Misten asked taken aback. "I have found him to be those things to, but I'd call them professional, cautious and comprehensive in how he completes things. I guess it is how you look at things."

Hermione, missing Misten's subtle way of voicing Hermione's negative outlook, said, "Well let's just see how you feel when you make a mistake in his class."

The girls entered the library and found their way over to a table and began to work on their homework. Their conversation was kept to a inimum until Hermione asked, "Hey, do you want to come and see my suite? We can pick up some snacks from the kitchen and sit in there?"

"Sure!" Misten answered excitedly. "I think it is so cool that you got that position. You must have proven to Professor Dumbledore that your grades aren't the only thing stellar about you."

Hermione regarded her companion for a moment before seeing that the girl meant the words she said. Hermione began to feel better about the school year and was beginning to wonder if the friendship that she always wanted was blossoming in front of her.

As they made it back to Hermione's common room with snacks and pumpkin juice, the girls found they had a lot in common. Both were only children with pressure from their parents to outshine everyone else academically, they both found their talent in magic something that only came easy because of all the hard work it took to prepare and they both were missing a female bond while they were at school. Misten's parents had gotten divorced several years back, and while Hermione couldn't understand completely, she sympathized with the feelings of abandonment.

"I hardly had any female friends at Professor Mordicus' school. It seemed like I just got along with the boys better." Misten said, unselfishly at one point during the night. "I guess it's because all the girls wanted to do was cry over their lack of boyfriends. I never felt the need to be that obsessed with trying to find a boyfriend when I had all the male friends I wanted. And I never wanted them for anything more than just friends."

"I know what you mean," Hermione added. And for once, she did. She knew how it felt to have the majority of your friends be male and not want anything romantic to happen with any of them, while the other females watched in envy. Sometimes it was not pleasant being the odd duck.

The women continued to talk well into the night. Draco had returned sometime near midnight and had barely said hello to both women as he sauntered up the stairway into his room.

"Why did you change schools, if you don't mind me asking?" Hermione said as they sprawled out in front of the fire late in the night. Hermione couldn't help thinking that the question rang a bell in her head. Hadn't she already asked Misten this question on the train? 'Why can't I remember the answer?' she questioned thoughtfully.

Misten turned seventeen shades of red before answering, "It's a long story."

"Oh. Well you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I thought it'd be nice to get to know each other better," Hermione stated, knowing full well that she was manipulating the girl to answer her question. 'Malfoy must be wearing off on me,' she thought.

"Um...well...all right. I really don't know you well enough but I'm sure you'll hear about it from someone eventually so I might as well tell you before the rumor mill gets started and you hear an exaggerated edition," Misten babbled. "I think Seamus has already told his roommates, so I am surprised you haven't already heard some adaptation of the truth already. Plus, I am pretty sure Professor Dumbledore knows, but he promised me he wouldn't tell any of the other professors as long as I promised not to get myself in a similar situation here."

Hermione looked at the woman in front of her with bewilderment. She knew she was jabbering in nervousness, but she couldn't figure out why.

"God, I don't even know where to begin. I was kicked out of Professor Mordicus Egg School for Witches and Wizards last year," Misten confided, her head falling at the words coming out of her mouth.

Hermione felt herself inhale sharply. Her eyes got large as she thought of the horror of being kicked out of school, especially since Misten had explained what stress her parents had laid on her to be the academic star of the family.

"Why?" Hermione found herself asking, although she knew the question was rude.

Misten, turning seventeen new shades of red answered, "If I tell you, you have to promise me not to share the story with anyone else. I am not ashamed of what I did, mind you, but I still don't want it to be public knowledge. Um, but let me ask you a question first, have you ever been in love?"

The hopeful look the girl gave her made Hermione want to lie and say that she had. But knowing that she really wanted a friendship with this woman and knowing she could never really lie prompted her to answer truthfully. "No. I haven't."

"Oh...well...last year I fell in love with the most amazing man, Patrick. He was sweet, sensitive, respectful and a hopeless romantic! He wrote me poems, took me for boat rides on the lake and made me feel like the most important person on earth. I found that around him I felt like I could do anything, be anyone and accomplish all my dreams," Misten answered absentmindedly.

"Wow," Hermione responded, thinking that she longed for those emotions, too.

"The time I spent with Patrick was the most magical in my life. We went to plays together, read to each other and seemed to be able to meet each other's needs without having to put them into words. He was an amazing kisser and I felt ready to give him anything he wished for. One weekend we snuck away to a small town outside of the city and I gave him the only gift I had left to give him, my virginity. He was amazing, Hermione. He lit the room with hundreds of candles, spread rose petals all over the bed and the floor, we had wine and cheese and fruit and he set out to make it as romantic as possible. He was very gentle when he entered me and took his time so I could get used to the idea and enjoy it."

"Did you?" Hermione asked, interrupting, knowing she sounded as pathetically girly as her former roommates. "I mean did you enjoy it or does it hurt as much as everyone says it does?"

&qt;It hurt. And I bled afterwards, but it was worth it. I couldn't imagine doing it any other way. You hear about those girls that do it for the first time in the back of a car or with a guy who doesn't love them and I think that would be awful. Not that there is anything wrong with that," Misten corrected herself, not knowing if Hermione's first experience was like the one she had just described. "It's just not how I wanted my first time to be."

"So what happened?"

"Well, we got caught. At first I thought no one noticed my weekends away and all the late nights I was spending with Patrick. But I should have known the girls in my dorm were too mean spirited to allow me any happiness. Eight weeks after we had that wonderful first weekend away, we were caught...um...in the middle of the act by the Headmaster." Misten returned to changing several colors of red.

Hermione felt herself inhale sharply for the second time that night. Her eyes once again got large as she thought of the horror of being caught by someone like Professor Dumbledore.

"But I've known countless people who have been caught in the act in the astronomy tower but they are never been kicked out," Hermione voiced her thoughts. "They get in trouble and lose house points, but they are never been kicked out. Why would they kick you out for following normal teenage hormones?"

Misten looked at Hermione straight in the eyes and spoke the next five words very slowly and quietly, "Patrick was my potions teacher."

"But...you...and he...it's like..." Hermione couldn't hide the shock and confusion that crossed her face as she thought about getting caught sleeping with...Snape! Hermione gulped unconsciously.

"Now you see why I was kicked out and Patrick was fired. It was a huge deal in our community and my parents were mortified. They hid me away from Patrick for the whole summer and sent me to live with Seamus and his parents before I came to school here. I haven't heard or seen Patrick since. But Hermione, you have to keep this quiet. I don't want to cause any more embarrassment to my family, or Seamus' family. I don't want the entire student body here knowing and judging me. I promised my family I would get my grades back up and graduate in June with honors. It was the only way they would forgive me!" Misten blabbed. She began to cry as she spoke.

"I miss him, Hermione. I miss the talks we had, the quiet comfortableness we shared and even the physical bond. I can't believe he hasn't tried to find me," she sobbed. "Please don't tell anyone."

"I promise I won't," Hermione replied looking at her new friend with compassion and sympathy.

She wanted to understand where Misten was coming from, but she had no experience to draw from. Instead Hermione based her kindness on her own feeling of needing friends. Hermione walked over to Misten and hugged her as she cried until she fell asleep. She was attempting to lay the other woman down on the floor, when she looked up and saw Malfoy watching the two from his stairwell. Their eyes met, briefly, and Hermione swore that Malfoy gave her the tiniest smile, before he got up silently going into his room.

'Well, will wonders never cease? What was that?' Hermione thought snuggling in on the couch. 'This year is turning out to be more than I ever expected.'

A/N: Was Malfoy's look one of sweetness as the two women bonded, or a malicious one at knowing Misten's secret? Review and let me know your thoughts!